Program Review
Staff / Faculty / Chairman
As stated in previous review:
Dr. Weiner-Chairman, Oncology
Dr. Junko-Program director, Foot and Ankle
Staff-Most did their residency in the area, fellowships around the country and returned to practice.
Summary: Every attending takes pride in the program, and makes an effort to teach. We work hard while on call for them and a mutual respect is apparent. They'll be sure to be on you when you mess up (because we all do at some point), but will also joke around and talk sports or whatever interests you.
Didactics / Teaching
One hour lecture every morning before cases. Schedule is made monthly by the chiefs/PD. Grand rounds as a department every Friday. Trauma/spine trauma/tumor conference monthly. Appropriate pimping and a good learning environment.
Operating Experience
Second to none. As my intern year progressed, I went from the standard "cut here" and "you good with closing?" to doing basic approaches/fractures essentially by myself with close supervision. You read for the case, you do the case. Of course there is some inter-attending variability, but this type of experience in the OR as an intern/junior is essential in my opinion. It forces you to critically think about what you're doing and why.
Observing the senior resident experience, our operative volume is both large and diverse. You'll be holding a scope your first year and expected to be proficient by your 3rd/4th. The same philosophy can be extended to the other subspecialties.
The senior residents told me when I started that our program is designed to have you comfortable with most cases by the end of your 4th year. This might seem like a bold statement, but I can now say I agree.
Clinic Experience
Clinic is clinic. We follow the same patients over the course of our residency with regard to conservative treatment and/or pre/post op.
Research Opportunities
Somewhat limited when it comes to projects that need a lot of funding. Akron is a town with strong engineering/biomaterial research, so there are some opportunities in that arena. The new ABIA downtown (Austen BioInnovation Institute in Akron) has brought forward new projects. They also have a good lecture hall/cadaver lab that has hosted local and industry sponsored courses/events.
Some residents have 10+ pubs, others less. Standard distribution in comparison to other programs that i've seen.
Residents
Good mix of guys/gals. We all look out for each other and the culture is definitely one where upper to lower level teaching is efficient and not demeaning.
Lifestyle
We round at 6 every morning, get breakfast as a team, lecture, then cases. This schedule is pretty solid in my opinion. When done with cases/clinic for the day, everyone checks in with the call team to knock out quick ED consults so they don't start off the night backed up. There's a gym by the call room that most of us use before going home.
Call is tough as a 2, but this is pretty universal now given the work hour restrictions.
Plenty of events throughout the year: golfing at Firestone CC, cookout at the chairman's house, Cleveland/Akron sporting events, holiday parties, etc.
Location / Housing
A lot of us are from Ohio, so Akron is what we know and not viewed as a negative. We also have a good amount of folks who have no ties to Ohio, and have found they like it more than expected. It's all what you make it. As with any ortho residency, you'll be busy enough where it won't matter a whole lot with exception of the opinion of your spouse/family. I can say my wife has befriended other resident significant others and Akron already feels like home after year 1.
Limitations
Research would probably be on this list if you're looking for projects that could be costly, although Akron Children's certainly has a good structure for funding/grants.
Overall Rotation Experience / Conclusion
I didn't rotate at Summa, but I feel pretty fortunate to have matched here. I would highly recommend any 4th year to spend some time with us who is looking for a community type program as detailed above and other threads/reviews on orthogate.
